While Microsoft's announcement of the Xbox Series X console and its first game, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, may have stolen the show at The Game Awards 2019, Sony wasn't to be left behind. The PS5 manufacturer announced the first game coming to the next-gen PlayStation console in turn. Godfall is a brand new IP developed by young studio Counterplay Games. The game will be a "looter-slasher," akin to modern looter shooters but focused on melee action.
Details about Godfall are understandably rare, given that the game is both quite a ways away from even a prospective launch and it's a PS5 title during a time when PS5 titles aren't being talked about. Nevertheless, Counterplay has shared some information about the game. Of most interest to potential Godfall players is, naturally, the loot system. It won't be surprising to hear, given Godfall is being advertised as a loot game, that Godfall is implementing a loot system where pieces of equipment will drop as a reward from defeated enemies and bosses.
"As players face challenging missions in the world of Godfall, enemies and bosses will reward fans with head-turning loot as they are vanquished," is Counterplay's pitch. This pitch could easily be made for many looters or ARPGs, just with "Godfall" replaced with Borderlands, Destiny, or Diablo. To expand on it, Counterplay also confirms that players will use equipment that they earn to create "builds" for their characters and that loot-based character builds will provide "meaningful impact to gameplay and playstyles."
Even with these few details, looter and ARPG fans can likely start to imagine what Godfall is aiming to be. For instance, while gear in Destiny and Borderlands certainly affects gameplay, equipment and especially armor doesn't necessarily fit with the idea of a character build. Rather, character builds are more in line with ARPGs like Diablo where every item equipped substantially adds or changes a character's power or playstyle.
While Counterplay may not have any details about the loot system to share just yet, it did provide some context surrounding the loot system. For example, Godfall creative director Keith Lee describes combat in Godfall as Monster Hunter-like with diverse styles of play, allowing for both fast action and more deliberate strategies. Some in-universe lore was also provided for the gear system. Players are "avatars" of a Knight's Order intent to stop the apocalypse, and will do so by donning armor sets known as Valorplates. That's a clear nod to Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive, for fantasy novel readers.
Expect a lot more information about Godfall and plenty of other PS5 games through 2020.
Godfall is coming to PC and PS5 in late 2020.
Source: PlayStation Lifestyle